Dry Ice Shoot

Early this month we did a fully styled maternity session for one of our clients and friends, Rachel Goode. We previously captured Rachel’s bridal portaits and she is now expecting her first baby, a little boy. In honor of such a huge milestone, Jess and Rachel made big plans for this shoot. In addition to renting a gorgeous cobalt blue dress from Rent The Runway, we tried something we’ve never done before- photograph using dry ice. Dry ice is great when you want to create a soft, romantic scene.

Here’s how it’s done.

First, we learned safe handling practices. Dry ice is not a toy. We also consulted with a OBGYN to make sure it would be ok for her and the baby. With proper ventilation and brief exposure, it was a safe experience for everyone.

Second, we had to contain the dry ice vapors. We used Styrofoam to build a box large enough for our client Rachel, and for Jess to stand in to photograph.

Third, set the scene. We used silk flowers, a white fur blanket for the floor, and a tulle skirt. Other ideas are to use greenery instead of flowers, add small faux flicker candles, colored tulle, or lace. A white flooring is best so that the dry ice cloud seems more dense.

Fourth, once Rachel was in the box we added more flowers, placed the dry ice bowls (unactivated),  and worked out posing.

Fifth, activate the dry ice! This goes quickly. Kendra worked to move the clouds to where they framed the body. Jess stood above Rachel and worked her magic.

We did two rounds of activated dry ice, using nearly 5 pounds of dry ice.

And as you can see, the final result is breathtaking. We’re definitely looking forward to doing a shoot like this again!